Dog woes, building in the heat, shopping, trips to DFW

When I got home yesterday I was glad Mama was not home. I got very upset with the dogs because of their continual digging trough after trough across the front yard, in the flowerbeds, beside the driveway; everywhere they take a fancy – but rarely in the same spot twice. Our sidewalks are filled with dirt slung onto them daily by the constant digging. The flowerbeds are unusable for flowers or plants even though I placed stones – large ones – in them to try to make them unavailable to the dogs.

 The place is a mess and the only response to the irritation I express is, “Well, Honey, they’re just hot.” Pretty soon they are going to be just dead. I do not know why I take such annoyance to it but I do. So it was good that I had exercised my frustration working on the garden shed for about an hour before Mama go there. I would have hated to something sharp to her because I was angry. By the time she got home I was a sweaty, much less frustrated, somewhat agreeable mess.

Working in the hundred degree heat was possibly not the smartest way to exercise and expunge my frustration but it got the job done. It put me pretty far ahead on the project by the time I finally quit. The most difficult part was getting the 4x4s in the ground. That required a heavy crowbar to break and remove the rock that hindered me on all three holes I needed to dig. I can at least be reasonably certain the posts will not be easily moved.

Mama, Brittany and Andrew spent the day shopping yesterday. It wore out Andrew and Mama – both of whom collapsed when they got home - but I think Brittany could have kept going. They came home with relatively little for the time spent but I believe they were all satisfied with the excursion.

I know Mama got a pair of shoes in the purchases. Not the ones she has been telling me she needs to wear around the house to support her feet better than flip-flops. She got a “badly needed” pair of dress shoes – I can’t remember why she needed this pair – because they were buy one get one half off and she was buying a pair for Brittany for her birthday, which she will be spending in Paris. Poor Brittany!

Brittany, Andrew and Mama mustered the strength to look at the garden before the evening wore away. They were able to pick, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes and peppers during their inspection. This is the first garden we have ever had that Mama enjoyed showing off. That makes it even more fun for me.

Later today – around 5 pm - Mama will be taking them to the airport. This will be the first of six trips to DFW this month for Mama; three times for Brittany and Andrew, twice for Alfredo when he flies in to visit us for the weekend of Father’s Day and once for me and Mama to get to the airport to fly to Juneau. We will rack up the miles, the tolls and the parking fees this month. I am not sure the other times of day we will be required to make the trip but tonight will be one of the most frustrating due to the rush hour traffic.

You know how Mama loves that.